Running a Business In a Disrupted World

By taking the opportunity to turn disruption on its head, we encourage a new model for entrepreneurs in the modern world.

Here at The Everyday Agency, we are eternal optimists. That doesn’t mean we collectively wear rose tinted glasses, upholding a misaligned perception that everything is forever great. Instead we are proudly confident in our ability to deal with change, which provides us with an unwavering trust that everything will eventually be ok. Recognised as natural problem solvers, our team are visionaries at heart. We love to share our knowledge and extend a positive branch whenever possible.

Currently the entire planet is undergoing a major upheaval. This year alone we have encountered huge shifts including Brexit, Coronavirus, disastrous bushfires, climate change pressures, political unrest, mental health issues increasing and more, all aptly highlighted by the mainstream media. It can be daunting with an influx of information on how to progress a sustainable business strategy. As a business, it could be overtly frightening to know how to survive financially during pivotal times of uncertainty like the present. At TEA, we know that being resilient throughout the winds of change also leads to longevity and initiates forging forward with commercial conviction in a brave new world.

Adapting To Change

Disruption equals change. Your ability to adapt to this change will precede how you survive as a business, community, family or individual. Having the correct foundations in place will make these adaptations even easier – namely structures, processes and procedures. By implementing these; how you react will become clearer and less chaotic and will allow you to make informed decisions as you progress. These processes are not just set once, as they will need to be revised and updated consistently. Revisit them on a quarterly basis, so you can check in to ensure they always provide consistent results transcending changing circumstances.

The second partition of adapting to change is embedded in problem solving. This involves having and being able to extract the right data out of your processes and systems. This will allow you to grow and jump ahead of trends which directly affect you. You can then move deeper into how to solve problems fluidly based upon this information and which resources are available to you at any given point.

TASK:

Start mapping your processes for sales and marketing, operations, finance, logistics, admin, recruitment – whatever your business does it should be mapped out accordingly

Consider what systems can help manage this for you, project management tools like Monday, Asana and systems which can assist you to automate some of these task

Consider what procedures you should have in place if activities and targets deviate from the plan

Don’t Become Complacent

Complacency is one of the biggest killers for business. For example, if you have achieved three solid years of growth in a row, all it may take is for a ripple to appear, which could potentially wipe out your hard work. Continue to evolve and keep changing the way you do things by consistently testing what works and highlighting what doesn’t. This will provide a solid overview to improve the way you do things and to formulate a foundation to rely upon.

One continual thing we do at TEA is to ‘catastrophise’. Although this directly contradicts our personal optimism, it helps to envisage any possible variations to a plan, allowing for proactive changes before problems arise. This is basically a term we apply to understanding the worst possible case scenario. We don’t spend hours on the detail, it’s a quick one hour meeting per month, projecting if something did actually go wrong, what would we do and how could it be corrected? It’s a great way to problem solve and recheck your systems and which processes are right for you. A ‘listen and learn’ ethos between your core team allows everyone to be on the same page and instead of hiding from problems, face them head on. This is almost like delivering an on-the-fly SWOT Analysis delivered via a communal brainstorm session.

Businesses that succeed are universally adept at problem solving, well practiced and aware of impacts before they appear. Acting as a solid reminder ‘It’s not what you are doing, but what you could be doing’. Utilise this approach to build improvements across the board for your business.

TASK :

Create a SWOT Analysis on the current situation

Catastrophise right now! What could go wrong? What is going wrong? How can you fix it?

Use mind mapping to identify the solutions and flesh them out in more detail.

Disruption Creates Innovation

During times of excessive change, there will become huge potential for innovation to break through. Where some people only see adversity and challenges, others see opportunities and solutions. Instead of focusing upon the widespread effects of what is going wrong, we suggest immediately addressing what improvements could possibly make it right again. Resolve situations early on, to limit a long term negative result. Remember that although certain situations are out of your immediate control, they can never truly make you fully powerless.

Focus on adapting what you could do today, to make a difference to tomorrow’s world and those within it. It has been historically proven that many of the greatest creations have risen during the most challenging and difficult times that people have faced. Hold hope in the knowledge that this will be the same for you personally and in business. Be prepared and move forward when possible.

Adapting To The Future Of Work

We can already see that the traditional ways of working have already changed. Many companies who were early innovators of digital trends, actively engaged remote working over twenty years ago, when the internet was still within its infancy. Now, as you know, it has become a global template for entire teams to work remotely, in temporary office spaces, hot desks or from home. This has helped small companies grow by utilising their incomes to advertise and set up systems in preference to the previous bricks and mortar approach. Virtual teams are here to stay and engage a stronger talent pool than available from single territories.

AI is also settling in, becoming widely accepted and helping support business infrastructures. We should be fully prepared to see how this impacts business, and ways it can be incorporated to assist existing protocols. These changes will mean there will be less differentiation between independent brands and corporate companies. Smaller teams will become more efficient, fully automated and able to scale to the same productivity levels and outputs of their larger counterparts.

Small teams and businesses will be able to keep their finger on the pulse, instantly affecting decision making and getting things delivered promptly as a result. Often it can be said, the bigger the business the bigger the fall. They cannot always react fast enough in the decision making process or adapt en masse to changes outside of their immediate control. This brings rise to flatter company structures eliminating hierarchy, whilst promoting better decision making, active collaboration and unified teamwork. Now is the time to implement this and celebrate the distinct results.

TASK:

Identify how to create a remote team

Consider what tasks you can digitise and action remotely using tools such as Zoom, Zapier, CRMs (Customer Relationship Management Systems) and implement them today

Local vs Global

This has already become a core driver for forward thinking brands. Start to look toward your locally sourced and produced products and services across the board. Our communities will start to build themselves again by supporting those directly close to us. Whether it’s local farmers, businesses, shops and more – please choose smaller independents and those who really need it now. In current climates everybody will be affected, but not all will have the financial capability to move forward without your support.

Encourage local creativity, passion projects and businesses who will be adversely affected during these times. This may help unify voices, and set up networks and partnerships for a long term vision. Unlike larger corporations who have a number of investors backing them, these individuals and small businesses will often be self-funded or with limited resources. Let’s aim to keep these independents and their staff alive during these difficult times by carefully considering where you decide to purchase your services and any products from. Let’s rebuild and restore a platform which is more equally balanced than any of the front led commercial options from the past.

People Before Profit

During turbulent times, you need to do what is right for people and the greater community before considering profit, this should become your 100% priority. We have recently seen some very extreme financial decisions being made as a result of COVID-19. Closure of public events, conferences, clubs, schools, transport and entire countries have all endured an enforced lock down to protect the local people. As displayed, personal health (mentally and physically) should prominently outweigh any single business need. Think, without your team or your consumers, essentially there isn’t any business. This can be a tough position to surrender to, but it will provide a clear pathway for everyone in the long term. Deal with everyone around you with abundant consideration and empathy, adding grace to every circumstance, requesting the same standards you deserve returned to yourself.

Evaluation & Evolution

Perhaps one major thing we can all look forward to during the existing wavering marketplace, is the opportunity to undertake a deeper re-evaluation of what is implicitly important to us on every level. Considering our actions and decisions based upon the part we play as a global community member. We will all be forced to assess what makes our lives complete as individuals and how this translates to a wider audience.

Taking on a ‘cause and effect’ approach, naturally our lives will start to simplify in some capacity. Many will become content with less, as a result of recent changes. This doesn’t necessarily mean we will ‘have less’, it means we will find greater personal pleasure and celebration in meaningful experiences. The wider world has been considerably lost in blanket consumerism for a long time. It’s not necessarily a bad thing to return back to basics and fully assess what it is we all actually need to be happy.

A huge evolution will take place on a deeper level. Reverting back to history, following the example of war, once situations reached a rock bottom or ground zero state, the level of growth and resilience afterwards was exponential and led the way for the digital revolution. We should all take this in our stride, aptly preparing to rise and evolve universally stronger again. Spend time applying the education and experience to inform and uplift our future decisions.

Adopt An Infinite Mindset

One way to become inspired during this pivotal period is to take a look at Simon Sinek’s – The Infinite Game. Throughout this insightful book Simon directly points out that running a business is “a journey without a final destination”. In the past we have been so consumed about ‘Winning or Losing’. However the goal is not to win but to play and stay in the game, by which he means building an organisation that can survive its leaders. This requires making decisions that sometimes impede conventional entrepreneurial goals, such as growing at any cost.

There are two types of games, according to NYU professor and religious scholar James Carse:

Finite Games have known players, fixed rules, a clear end. The purpose is to win. Like a football game. Here we are playing to beat everyone else and the joy comes from comparison.

Infinite Games have known and unknown players who shift around. Rules change, and there’s no finish line. Also like a football game. Here we are playing to be better than we were yesterday and the joy comes from advancement.

Simon says (no pun intended) “It’s about what kind of company we want to build. We do not get to choose the rules of the game of business. The only choice we get is how we want to play. The choice to play with a finite mindset comes with a cost. The cost of trust. The cost of cooperation. The cost of innovation. The cost of longevity. The choice to play with an infinite mindset may mean the growth numbers are a little slower than your friend’s down the street. But the goal is not to beat your competition. The goal is to outlast them.”

TASK:

Read the difference between ‘Finite and Infinite Games’ and consider how you can adopt an infinite mindset today?

Consider your company as it currently stands, how can you add achievable targets for longevity in preference to end goals?

An Intro To The Future

Although things are certainly turbulent at the minute, it’s worth noting that a period of innovation will be created.

Take the time to review, re-invent and evaluate exactly what is absolutely important. What do you want to see as a prominent change within yourself and the way you do things? This is a time for internalising, looking within, and then finding specific ways you can help to make the situation better for everyone, including yourself. This doesn’t start tomorrow, it starts today and deserves your complete attention. Pick up a pen and storyboard your vision with a perpetual future plan for the next chapter that awaits you.

We know many people who run their own businesses are feeling the effects of the recent events. Please reach out to The Everyday Agency for complimentary advice to help you navigate through this. Together we are stronger and with teamwork we can get through this. Let’s have a virtual cuppa. Email contact@theeverydayagency.com

We believe that it’s all about making a compelling case for your next spend with a great marketing agency. Subtle huh? So rather than brief us based on what you have left in the pot, build the plan from level zero. We can help you with the early stages of the thinking and then you can figure out where you want to take your brand and what you need to get there. We have a bunch of super simple briefs which ask useful questions to help distill it all down. Feel free to drop us a line if you’d like to sound us out. We like a good puzzle and make great TEA.

Yes

Everyone loves a meeting where all parties are enthusiastically saying “yes we can” to everything. That feeling when we’re all incredibly aligned and the project is speeding along smoothly. So good. But to get there, there will be moments when we at TEA might gently question things. It’s not about disrupting the project and making things awkward, but more about checking in on the assumptions that have been made. Does the strategy fit the objectives and is the plan 100% tickety boo and on point? So yes we will occasionally, say “no, not yet” to get to arrive at the right destination.

X – Rated

Now that got your attention! Pushing the boundaries of taste and decency can create a wave of admiration, deliver a punchy message and create huge stand out, but go cautiously on playing that card. That casual swearing to sound more youth or post watershed cuts of your TV ad can wear thin and polarise existing and new consumers. Certain times of year, like Xmas or The Holidays don’t need reinventing with louder, brasher, more edgy versions. Mainstream consumers actually love the warm fluffies of nostalgia, indulgence and kindness. Turn that on its head and it can backfire. Kaboom.

Websites

Websites sounds so nineties, right? While social networks are clearly important to reach new consumers, collecting primary data from the mothership is still vital. You are then in charge of your one to on relationship and not slave to an algorithm. Spend time figuring out what the reason for your web presence should be. Is it for selling products, promoting services or simply entertaining and informing? Then the next big question is what to build it on? Then what is this SEO business, how much video do I need, how much to invest for a minimum viable product? What is your customer journey? How are they getting to you and what pages do you want them to see first? Then the next question is how do you future proof it? Websites can be costly and by the time you have suited and booted it, the next generation of technology is out. Be mindful of changes and make sure you’re thinking ahead. It can feel like jogging through a minefield blindfolded. The good news is that we’re here to shine a light. But not directly in your eyes

Value

Another business buzzword often used in loads of different ways is Value. We like to think of value in three ways; business value, consumer value and cultural value. Business value: long and short-term growth, greater efficiency and enhanced productivity. Consumer value: attitudes and behaviours that effect brand choice, frequency and loyalty. Finally cultural value: shared beliefs that create a favourable environment in which to operate and influence. At TEA we can help you figure out where you can create value and which levers to pull to deliver the optimum value for your next marketing move. Valuable stuff.

Underdog

Woof. We love an underdog from Brewdog beers to Under Armour and our musoe pals at Traxsource. The more your target audience identifies with the underdog’s story the more powerful that brand can be. They are usually loud and opinionated with a good heart.They aim to polarise pushing the consumer to make a decision between choosing the vibrant and out their underdog or muted and sensible leader. We also get that it’s a big world out there and not every culture sees the underdog as a wondrous beast to cheer on for example in Northern India it’s all about extrovert status and success. Whatever your Challenger Brand mascot wear it with pride, want to take our challenger brand quiz? Find out more here!

Tea

Milk no sugar please. UK Tea company Tetely commissioned research from Nottingham Trent University to understand tea drinking habits. They discovered there are over 24 million different methods to make a cup of tea. Those differences are there but nuanced, and we enjoy these kind of subtle details. So while TEA is a neat acronym, and us marketeers love an acronym, the idea that something so everyday can become so personal to you is fascinating. We’re always on the look out for interesting insights around habit forming behaviours to ensure the marketing we do is actually made for humans, tea drinkers or not.

Social media

According to our mates at Global Web Index, we typically spend 2 hours and 22 minutes on social media every day. If you’re in the 16-24 year old age group then it peaks at 3 hours. Love it or loathe it, social media is part of our daily diet and designed to be highly addictive. A bit like sugar. At TEA, we are up close and personal with all the overnight algorithm changes to ensure the content we produce for our clients and communities we speak to, continue to see the posts that have become part of their own habitual consumption. Amazonia’s healthy eating inspiration is a stunning example.

Real

Your brand won’t be around for long if it doesn’t have a real, authentic human aspect to how it presents itself. That doesn’t mean you have to lose the glamour of your well constructed image or apply a friendly tone to all your communications, it simply means be straight with what you’re offering your consumer and they will return the favour with trust. Radical transparency has its place and isn’t really that radical anymore. The pretenders will be outed.Take greenwashing as example, you can burn your plastic coated organic cotton brand in one spectacular, petrochemical flash. Keep it real.

Quirky

The dictionary definition is an adjective which describes a noun as “having or characterized by peculiar or unexpected traits or aspects”. Black sheep, red heads, double jointedness, double yolkers, 4 leaf clovers, wonky British teeth, we love a quirk. Really though it’s more than that. It’s about trying out many perspectives when solving problems, spotting the negative space, seeing the surprises, finding the funnies and sharing all the feels. It’s about embracing diversity through the people we work with and the ideas we champion. Long live the quirk.

People First

We put people first. Whether it’s staff, clients, their customers or our community – we put people before profit. Why? Because we believe that having purpose, creates a unified tribe and company culture that in the end results in profit. We want to work with a super engaged team not those who are coasting or clock watching. We make time for that 4pm meditation, a quick round of uno or fetch with the office dog. We encourage input and welcome ideas across the team and we’re never siloed. It’s how we roll and we like it like that.

Open Source

Warning, we are about to geek out. Open source software is software with source code that anyone can inspect, modify, and enhance. “Source code” is the part of software that most computer users don’t ever see; it’s the code computer programmers can manipulate to change how a piece of software—a “program” or “application”—works. Programmers who have access to a computer program’s source code can improve that program by adding features to it or fixing parts that don’t always work correctly. Why do we need to know this? Simply because you don’t need to reinvent the wheel with your next digital product, check out the off the shelf solutions first.

New

We love this old adage, never underestimate the power of new. It’s not just about shouting about new inventions, new takes on established ideas, it can also be about reframing your brand story or highlighting a new way your product or service is being used. Breathing new life into old stuff aka vintage, recycling to create new materials and showing old movies to a new audience or remixing tracks to reach a new generation of music fans are just some of the ways to create newness.

Media

Owned, earned, bought media, however you define it is fascinating space. It’s estimated that we’re exposed to around 5,000 ads a day which means over 1.8m ads a year. No wonder digital detox and ad blocking has become natural defence mechanisms. According to the IAB, who have been tracking ad blocking for the past 4 years, Ad blocking levels have been relatively stable for the past three years – 22.6% of GB Online Adults claim to currently be blocking ads. So really it’s done to agencies like TEA to provide a better advertising experience and remind people about the value exchange.

LinkedIn

Sometimes people get this networking super machine confused with Facebook and start adding puppy photos and birthdays snaps but not at TEA. We get it. We use it along with 660M (and counting) active professionals. There are ad packages to target them by job title, function, industry, and more. Check out the LinkedIn Success Hub for the latest insights. The Watercooler is particularly interesting, every month they take a deeper look into the articles that are receiving the most engagement — comments, shares, and likes. Useful inspo!

Knowledge

We understand that knowledge is power. Here at TEA we’re all about leveraging the best minds and industry thinking to deliver inspiring work. Talking of minds, we are all about growth mindsets and continuous learning within the TEAm and with our clients. We are always looking to improve and always open to fresh approaches. If we don’t have the answers we will figure it out or phone a friend. Emotional intelligence is highly prized and happily a skill to be honed. We value your EQ more than your IQ as marketing is essentially understanding people and put them front and centre of everything you do.

Jargon

Marketing has a special reputation for jargon. How we bang on about essence, distilling, take-outs and slip into the fast and confusing CPI, CPT, CPM, CTA and CRMs. You’d think we’re back in class with Bunsen burners, petri dishes and the periodic table. However the reality is some of the lingo is there to help clearly articulate this arts meets science world and the other stuff like ideation, smarketing (WTF) and funnels just make us queasy. So while we may add a little bit of marketing chat for spice, we’ll promise to mainly, stick to plain English.

Influencer Marketing

From micro-influencers ruling the niches to global Kardashian phenomena, influencers have carved out a tidy income and a relatively new industry. When it comes to selecting the right influencer for your brand, take great care to find ambassadors who are genuine, there are many fakes in the market. They need to wholly align with your brand values and don’t charge silly money. Tracking the effectiveness of influencer marketing can also be a murky business, so ensure you are joining up the different data sets and measuring as best you can. Remember you need to amplify your influencer campaign through paid spend. It’s the ultimate digital ecosystem!

Hacks

Not to be confused with the kind of cyber attack that crashes your laptop and empties your bank account. We are talking about those delicious shortcuts, or digital tricks you never knew about. Look out for easy peasy hacks from us at TEA throughout the year. Here’s an Insta taster for you. For FREE. Insta Stories can carry hashtags. You can do it two ways, firstly creating a hashtag sticker and changing the text. Or use the text tool and the # symbol to type out the hashtag the same way you would on a photo or video post. You can shrink your hashtags or even hide them behind an emoji, sticker, or GIF. Natch.

Guerilla marketing

We’re not talking about the epic Cadbury’s ad with guerilla on drums, playing away to Genesis type of marketing. This genre of marketing has actually been around since the 80s. It’s about taking the consumer by surprise and making a big impression about the brand. This in turn creates buzz about the featured product or service. Done well, it’s brilliantly memorable and shareable. These campaign tread a fine line, often asking for forgiveness than permission. They are super attention grabbing and daring without landing the marketing team to jail or creating swathes of negative publicity. And definitely not tested on animals.

Feel good brands

From Tony’s Chocolonely to Lush and Headspace. Brands which do good make us feel good. We can learn a lot from those on a mission to improve the world and empower consumers to make smart choices and live their best lives. Let’s not forget the music. Music has an incredible power to motivate, change moods and be a vehicle for self expression amongst all demographics (not just the youth). We’re super proud to work with globally recognised labels, artists and festivals, telling their stories and engaging with their fans. Thank you for the [feel good] music.

Ethical Marketing

We only work with brands who share our values. Ethical marketing is our thing, it drives us to deliver the best possible work because we know it comes from the best possible place. It’s more than a fad or a trend, it’s part of our DNA. Environmental issues came to the fore in 2019, with plastic bottles and Greta Thunberg on every feed, and quite rightly. As the bigger, less agile brands accelerate their response to this trend focussing on packaging and the supply chain, we can help champion other big social issues like gender pay gaps, modern slavery and mental health.

Design

It’s more than colouring in you know. It’s form, function, expression, individuality, symbolism. It communicates so much in one visual hit. It can be 2D, 3D, motion, product, UX or UI. Great designers understand the need to think about what it is that the customer wants, and what will pique their interest. They put themselves in the consumers’ shoes and can empathise. We have a few of these colourful birds at TEA. They create the visual dimension to a compelling brand story and can breathe life into the most complex of briefs. Life is better with design.

Conscious Business

Having a strong sense of social purpose is essential, moving on from the triple bottom line and in a world of VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complex and ambiguous) consumers expect it. When it comes to marketing, Carolyn Tate has a neat definition: “Conscious Marketing is all about promoting your offering with honesty, transparency and congruency with messages of joy, hope, love and humanity”

Ultimately your business will be sustainable and profitable because your product or service and your message will make the world a better place. However, brands will need more than purpose to ‘take a stand’ successfully, actions speak louder than headlines. Let’s not forget being conscious has to be sincere, it’s not about greenwashing, it’s about really sincerely making a difference.

Branding

Ideas and how we tell the stories are everything. This is how we influence behaviour and ultimately build brands. Why do you want to build brands? To avoid commoditising your product or service and only competing on price. Creating a compelling brand narrative is one way to differentiate and can be a handy strategy when media budgets are modest. Telling and showing your story in a joined up and consistent way will, over time, pay back. The catch though is that there’s no magic formula for brand building over activation. What we do know is that brand equity for brands who just focus on activation and short term sales don’t stick around for long.

Automation

Keeping up with the developments in Martech really keeps us on our toes. Marketing automation has the potential to revolutionise the more complex multichannel customer communications. It’s efficient, it’s smart and can provide a more personalized experience for customers. There’s a difference between ESPs, Marketing automation and CRM. But let’s not get too hung up on the semantics around the definitions of automation and think what tech out there can do a better job than my humans? In choosing the ideal marketing automation set-up, check out purchasing services from different vendors and combine them as an alternative to an all-in-one or cloud solution.

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